300 percent rise in weapons entering Mexico over last five years

CCTV News

As casualties in Mexico’s war on drugs mount, a new study found the influx of weapons in the last five years has risen more than 300 percent.

The uptick in fatalities has called into question whether the Mexican government is doing enough to fight drug traffickers.

CCTV America’s Franc Contreras reports from Mexico City.

300 percent rise in weapons entering Mexico over last five years

300 percent rise in weapons entering Mexico over last five years

As casualties in Mexico’s war on drugs mount, a new study found the influx of weapons in the last five years has risen more than 300 percent. The uptick in fatalities has called into question whether the Mexican government is doing enough to fight drug traffickers. CCTV America’s Franc Contreras reports from Mexico City.

According to the study by the Stockholm International Peace Institute, weapons imported to Mexico have risen 330 percent over the last five years – more weapons than Iraq imported in the same period.

58 countries were identified as exporters, with the U.S., Russia, China, France, and Germany being the largest suppliers.

Heavy caliber weapons, including grenade launchers, sometimes end up in the hands of criminal organizations. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said his administration is using military force to stop them. But experts in security argue that this strategy of militarizing Mexico’s war against drug traffickers comes at great cost.

“In Mexico, there are more homicides in one week than in one year in Spain,” security analyst Alejandro Hope said about recent government statistics. “The total number of homicides in one year approaches the total number of homicides in all the European countries combined.”

Mexico imports 52 percent of its arms deliveries including transport aircraft, patrol boats, and armed helicopters, from the United States. But as the violence continues, observers say illegal guns from the U.S. are clearly playing a role.